Robert Sapolsky | Father-Offspring Interviews

Robert Sapolsky

Dr. Robert Sapolsky and his Offspring answer your questions, with topics ranging from his books to his time doing field work in Kenya, current research to current events, and lots more.

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30 episodes
weekly
Avg 35 min
English

Episodes 30

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Thursday · 39 min
Karl Deisseroth’s Nobel; Selfish Wealth | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 133 of Father-Offspring Interviews. This episode discusses the work of Stanford’s Karl Deisseroth that earned him his recent Nobel Prize, as well as a deep dive into the research on whether wealthier people really are more selfish. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Deisseroth’s Nobel Prize winning work) 00:22:57 Question 2 (Wealth and empathy/selfishness)
October 15 · 34 min
Sperm Racing; Hemispherectomies | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 132 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include what hemispherectomies teach us about neuroplasticity, and the strange new “sport” that is sperm racing. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Hemispherectomies and neuroplasticity) 00:18:22 Question 2 (Sperm racing)
October 8 · 38 min
Cornell; Laughing Diseases; Hookworms | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 131 of Father-Offspring Interviews. This episode includes discussion of laughing diseases and similar “epidemics,” and the role that hookworms play in our immune systems, as well as touching on the case at Cornell that is dominating headlines. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro/A Comment on Cornell 00:00:48 Question 1 (Laughing diseases) 00:26:09 Question 2 (Hookworms and our immune systems)
October 1 · 31 min
The Mystery of the Bladder; Falling Fertility Rates | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 130 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include the worldwide falling fertility rates, and whether this is a concern for humankind, as well as the theories as to why we have this mysterious thing called a bladder. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Dropping fertility rates) 00:20:17 Question 2 (Why we have bladders)
September 24 · 29 min
Why We Yawn; Effects of Birth Order | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 129 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include how birth order actually influences personality, sexual orientation, and IQ (among other traits), and the leading theories on why we and other species yawn, along with how yawns just might be extremely sexy. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (The effect of birth order) 00:20:17 Question 2 (Yawning)
September 17 · 37 min
How We Measure Time; Baboon Operas | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 128 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include how our brains measure time, and when they fail to, and the Shakespearean opera all about baboons. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (How the brain measures time) 00:22:18 Question 2 (The Baboon Opera)
September 10 · 32 min
The Lindsay Clancy Case | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 127 of Father-Offspring Interviews. This episode focuses on the Lindsay Clancy trial, discussing both the scientific and legal aspects of it and their interaction, and how this could be a landmark case for psychiatric diseases and the law. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:39 Part 1 (Context for the case) 00:05:58 Part 2 (The Neurobiology Perspective) 00:20:25 Part 3 (The Legal Aspect)
September 3 · 43 min
Gut Microbiome; Shame vs Guilt; Your Comments | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 126 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include if the gut microbiome can affect the brain, especially when it comes to psychiatric disorders, and the difference between shame and guilt-based cultures. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro and Comments Response 00:04:28 Question 1 (Gut Microbiome and the brain) 00:20:54 Question 2 (Shame vs. guilt-based cultures)
August 27 · 29 min
Giraffe Math; Introversion/Extroversion Neuroscience | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 125 of Father-Offspring Interviews. This episode includes discussion of some of the supposed neurobiological differences between introversion and extroversion and why they may be inaccurate, and the recent demonstration of mathematical abilities by some Spanish giraffe. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:17 Question 1 (Neurobiology of introversion and extroversion) 00:20:54 Question 2 (Giraffe that do math)
August 13 · 33 min
Pseudoscience and Conspiracy Theories; No Mosquitos | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 124 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include the world of pseudoscience and conspiracy theories and how to talk to someone who believes them, and what would happen if we got rid of mosquitos once and for all. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Pseudoscience and conspiracy theories) 00:20:56 Question 2 (Could we eradicate mosquitos?)
August 6 · 37 min
Male Eradications; Autoimmune Contradictions | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 123 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include the relationship between the immune system, stress, and glucocorticoids, and why men keep coming close to being wiped out. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Autoimmunity, stress, and glucocorticoids) 00:15:17 Question 2 (Male Eradications)
July 30 · 28 min
Ape Laughter; Mirror Cells | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 122 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include the potential danger that is mirror cells, and whether other apes laugh like we do. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Mirror Cells) 00:16:58 Question 2 Part 1 (Ape Laughter)
July 23 · 34 min
The Truth About Peptides; Spelling Bees & Demographics | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 121 of Father-Offspring Interviews. This episode discusses the recent craze that is peptides and whether they really help strength and muscle growth, and how one trains their brain for a Spelling Bee, along with how a trend in Bees reflects a larger pattern of demographics in the U.S. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro and Corrections 00:01:20 Question 1 (Peptides and muscle growth) 00:16:02 Question 2 Part 1 (Training for Spelling Bees) 00:25:52 Question 2 Part 2 (Bees and Demographic trends)
July 16 · 37 min
Biracial Identities; Intersectionality; Eye Floaters | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 120 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include how the amygdala processes “us” and “them” in biracial individuals, as well as in other cases of intersectional identities, and what the mysterious eye floaters we all see really are. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Biracial individuals and amygdala categorization) 00:28:32 Question 2 (Eye floaters)
July 9 · 35 min
Bad Boy Appeal; Human Speciation; “Shared” Genes | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 119 of Father-Offspring Interviews. This episode includes discussion of whether humans will evolve into different subspecies, inter- versus intra- genetic similarities of species, and why so many people are so attracted to bad boys. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Will humans speciate?) 00:13:20 Question 2 (“Shared” genes) 00:20:27 Question 3 (The appeal of bad boys)
July 2 · 37 min
Armenian Genocide; Snake and Fish Cooperations | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 118 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include moral scrupulosity OCD and whether it may be rooted in intergenerational trauma, with the the Armenian Genocide as an example lens, and the (slightly terrifying) case of a snake and fish cooperative hunting technique. BBC Krait and Trevally Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO07dZWNtcc Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 Part 1 (Moral scrupulosity OCD) 00:08:21 Q1 Part 2 (Armenian Genocide) 00:17:43 Q1 Part 3 (Intergenerational Trauma) 00:27:39 Question 2 (Snake and Fish Cooperative Hunting)
June 25 · 37 min
Plant Intelligence | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 117 of Father-Offspring Interviews. This episode focuses on work around plant intelligence and the amazing – though often oversold – things plants do. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Plants Part 1 00:14:26 Part 2 00:22:48 Part 3
June 18 · 32 min
Handshakes; Marchetti’s Constant of Commuting | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 116 of Father-Offspring Interviews. This episode includes discussion of Marchetti’s constant of human commuting, as well as why we humans shake hands and how other species do the same. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OuG4UD Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4ibqCdF 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Marchetti’s Constant and Commuting) 00:15:06 Question 2 (Handshakes)
June 11 · 37 min
Bird Language; Stress Eaters | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 115 of Father-Offspring Interviews. Topics in this episode include why some people eat more and others eat less under stress, and groundbreaking work that has shown the complex language skills of birds. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3OuG4UD Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4ibqCdF 00:00 Intro 00:00:14 Question 1 (Stress and Eating) 00:20:10 Question 2 (Birds and Language)
June 4 · 33 min
Chimp Civil War; Bipolar II | Robert Sapolsky Father-Offspring Interviews
Episode 114 of Father-Offspring Interviews. This episode focuses on the difference between Bipolar I and II, and the chimp civil war that has recently made Scientific headlines. Social & Websites Question Submission: https://ha66meqrpqz.typeform.com/sapolsky Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.sapolsky 00:00 Intro 00:00:37 Question 1 (Bipolar II) 00:08:47 Question 2 (Chimp Civil War)

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